Egg-rack.



Patented Ian. I, l90l.

No. 665,|78. H

Y E. C. CASTLE.

EGG BACK (Application filed Apr. 8, L900. (No Model.)

q/m'fueoae.

Patented Ian. I, 190i.

' 2 sheets-sheet 2.

i E? m V 6% 7 E. C. CASTLE.

EGG BACK.

(Application filed Apr. 3, 1900.)

(No Model.)

c u m E E! E Nl'TE STAT S.

PATENT trips.

EDWIN O. CASTLE, OF SODUS, NEW YORK.

EGG-RACK.

SPEGIFICATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,178, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed April 3, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, EDWIN O. CASTLE, a resident of Sodus, in the county of Wayne and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg- Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to the transportation, storage, inspection, preservation, and handling of eggs, and has for its object the provision of an open-work rack or tray adapted to be used singly or in conjunction with one or more racks of like construction.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved tray situated upon a second one indicated by broken lines. Fig. 2 is a lengthwise section of two trays. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 4 is a partial perspective of a single tray. Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial plan of a modified detail.

Numeral 1 denotes two supportingsills fixed to the bottom of the rack near its ends. These bottom pieces 1 are tied by stringers or side pieces 2, and upon said side pieces are fixed beveled egg-supporting strips 3, disposed at suitable distances apart, parallel to the sills 1. The ends of the egg-su pporting strips 3 are covered by supplementary or upper stringers 4, fastened to stringers 2-inthe present instance by screws 5.

6 denotes slat-holding cross-pieces fixed upon the upper stringers 4 a short distance from the end of the rack, the dimensions being such that the sills 1 of a suitably-superposed rack rest on the ends of the upper stringers 4 of a rack immediately below and sit on seats just outside the said cross-pieces 6 of the lower rack. The cross-pieces are made of unequal width and have each an inner edge immediately over or adjacent the outer edge of a slat, all as shown, whereby when two or more racks are assembled with the wide strip of one adjacent a narrow strip of another contiguous rack the egg-holding spaces comprised by the beveled egg-supporting strips 3 and slats 8 will not be immedi- Serial No. 11,370. (No models ately over each other in planes lengthwise the rack. The slats are so'disposed as to produce a like situation of the egg-holding spaces or pockets in transverse planes. Thus on one side the exterior slat 8 is contiguous the upper stringer 4 and on the other side it is removed a little from the adjacent stringer 4. The situation of contiguous slats and stringers is opposite in contiguous racks. The described construction provides that two or more racks may be assembled and the contained eggs held in staggered ordertha t is, in different planes both endwise and widthwise the racks. These cross pieces 6 are slotted at 7 to receive the ends of thin elastic slats 8, which are loosely held therein.

9 denotes notches cut in the ends of the slats and providing shoulders l0,which loosely abut against the cross-pieces 6 at the closed ends of the slots. The ends 11 of the seats extend under the cross-pieces. The distance between the cross-pieces and the underlying beveled strips 3 is a little larger than the width of the said ends 11.

By the described construction the slats are held in place by means of the cross-pieces, but insuch manner as to permit slight endwise and sidewise movements. The slats are elastic and yield laterally under the pressure of eggs of-sufficient size to crowd them apart; but are so disposed as to distance apart that they will receive and fit eggs of average size Without displacement, though adapted to be displaced by eggs of exceptionally-large dimensions. The elasticity of the slats further provides against jar or breaking of eggs by a sidewise shifting of a layer of eggs contained in a rack, as the slats which hold the eggs yield slightly and in unison to any force acting on the rack or racks laterally. Eggs will be placed in the racks on end, the lower end of each resting on and between the beveled strips and its sides held between the slats;

The racks will preferably be made to hold each the same number of dozen of eggs, and

extent of the capacity of the racks, and for convenience sake a smaller rack is illustrated.

The staggered arrangement of the eggpockets obviates the contact of the ends of the eggs with those above or below and allows the several layers in adjacent racks to be placed nearer each other without contact of the eggs. The arrangement further facilitates candling. For example, two racks could be held opposite a light, artificial or natural, and the eggs in the several racks inspected without further handling of the same. will be inspected by itself.

The racks arevery suitable for the safe transportation of eggs either to or from mar ket, both because they obviate breakage and because they provide for thorough ventilation. Further, they provide for compact storage in quantity, the racks being so formed as to permit safe piling to any desired height. Eggs can be turned by the rackful, it being only necessary to invert a second empty rack upon a filled one and invert the two racks held together, whereupon the inverted eggs are received in the pockets of the second or previously empty rack. These and other like advantages adapt the improved article for use by the producer, seller, carrier, consumer, and others, as will be understood Without more detailed description.

The elastic slats 8, notched and loosely held in the slotted cross-pieces detachably connected to the article by screws or the like, require no other fastenings, such as nails, which would be liable to split said slats in use, if not before, and such fastenings would hinder to some extent the yielding character of the slats. The latter can be assembled with the cross-bars on the frame comprising sills 1 and stringers 4 and then secured in place by screws 5, or each slat may be entered in the slots 7, with its ends 11 under the cross-pieces, either after one cross-piece or both have been secured on the stringers or on stringers and sills. In the latter case a slat end 11 having been entered under a fixed slotted cross-piece the slot can be suitably bent to permit the other end to enter the corresponding slot in the opposite cross-piece. The proximate edges of shoulder 10 and of the slot-Walls may, if desired, be chamfered, as indicated in Fig. 5, to facilitate this mode of assemblage. This will permit broken slats to be renewed or soiled slats to be removed, cleaned, and replaced Without freeing any but the desired slat or slats. It is obvious that both ends of a slat suitably bent for the purpose maybe entered simultaneously in the slots of the fixed cross-pieces.

Ordinarily the contents of each rack The invention is not limited as to material; 7

but Wood is very suitable, and soft Woods have been successfully used.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is--- 1. In a rack, individl'ially-detachable strips, transverse movable slats, and devices for independently holding said slats and strips at their ends against transverse movement, said strips comprising with the slats open-bottomed egg-holding pockets.

2. In a rack, individ tmlly-detachable strips, transverse movable slats, and devices for independently and positively holding said slats at their ends against transverse movement, said strips being beveled and comprising with the slats open-bottomed egg-holding pockets.

A series of racks comprising slats and coacting strips to form egg-holding pockets, each rack having slat-holding cross-pieces, stringers and supporting sills, said crosspieces being fixed to the stringers at a distance from their ends and forming seats to receive the sills and positively preclude movement lengthwise the slats whereby the racks can be assembled by placing the sills of one rack in said seats in a similar contiguous rack, the sills fitting the seats.

4. In a rack, the slotted slat-holding crosspieces, the loosely supported slats having notched ends engaged under the cross-pieces to prevent vertical movement and engaged in their slots to prevent lateral movement, the transverse strips com prising with the slats eggholding pockets, and stringers to hold the slats and strips in operative relation.

5. In a rack, the strips, the stringers fixed to the strips on opposite sides thereof at their ends, the elastic slats resting loosely on the strips, and cross-pieces loosely holding the slats.

6. In a rack, the strips, the stringers fixed to the strips on opposite sides thereof at their ends, the elastic slats resting loosely on the strips, cross-pieces loosely holding the slats, and the sills fixed to the bottom stringers.

'7. The rack havingopen egg-holdingpockets comprised by the strips and loose slats, in combination with a second like rack adapted to hold eggs in the first-named rack until the racks are inverted and to hold the inverted eggs after such inversion, each rack having seats for the sills of a coacting rack to hold the racks in constant relation to each other.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN C. CASTLE.

NVitnesses:

A. J. BARBER, B. .T. CASE. 

